


Capture the Flag (or my Heart, Whichever is Easier)

by lizzybizzyzzz



Series: Glass Half Full- Nico di Angelo/ Will Solace [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Book Series: The Trials of Apollo, Canon Compliant, Games, Gen, M/M, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace are Cute, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace are Dorks, Nico di Angelo is a Little Shit, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, No Spoilers, Pre-Relationship, This Is STUPID, Unresolved Tension, Will Solace is a Ball of Sunshine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29233905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzybizzyzzz/pseuds/lizzybizzyzzz
Summary: “You really think you're gonna win this, di Angelo? Must I remind you, Apollo hasn’t lost in two years.”Nico cracked his knuckles. There was a playful glint shining in his eyes. “Guess we’ll have to break that today, huh?”When they were at the field, Will dropped his medical bag to the ground and turned to his friend. He stuck his hand out. “Let's make a bet then, if you want to win so bad.”Nico stood confidently. “Oh, I don’t care about winning, I care about beating you.”
Relationships: Lou Ellen Blackstone & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: Glass Half Full- Nico di Angelo/ Will Solace [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143260
Comments: 2
Kudos: 77





	Capture the Flag (or my Heart, Whichever is Easier)

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for being lazy, I didn't read this over before I posted so sorry for any errors!
> 
> This is set pre-relationship but post- Book 1

Will grumbled as he dragged the med kit over his shoulder down to Zeus’s fist where the game of Capture the Flag was about to begin. With so little people at camp during the winter months, there was barely any point in playing. There was little strategy, all charge. And for some reason, the game took  _ forever.  _ He knows he should be excited, but this time the Apollo cabin is allied with Hypnos, Aphrodite, Hecate, Ares and another couple that Will didn’t bother to remember. He was usually psyched to play. 

He just knows that they aren’t allied with Hades. Which means he and Nico won’t be on the same team.

A feeling of guilt swaps him for feeling this way. He always went all-out on camp activities for his younger siblings, just like Lee and Michael had done for them when he was younger. The wound of their absence never really healed. 

“Why so gloomy, Sunshine?” Nico asked with an amused look, obviously hoping to get a rise out of him from the nickname alone. 

Will bumped their shoulders together. “Who am I supposed to bother the whole game with you on the losing side?” 

“ _Losing_ side?” Nico repeated loudly. “You’re so on.” 

“You really think you're gonna win this, di Angelo? Must I remind you, Apollo hasn’t lost in two years.” 

Nico cracked his knuckles. There was a playful glint shining in his eyes. “Guess we’ll have to break that today, huh?” 

When they were at the field, Will dropped his bag of medical supplies to the ground and turned to his friend. He stuck his hand out. “Let's make a bet then, if you want to win so bad.” 

Nico stood confidently. “Oh, I don’t care about winning, I care about beating you.” 

“If you lose you help me in the infirmary everyday for a week.” 

Nico rolled his eyes at him, but clasped their hands together in a tight grip. “I already do that, you idiot.” 

Will smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, but I want it indefinitely.” 

“And what do I get if I win?” 

“You can’t wake me up to go on morning jogs for a month.” 

“Those are good for you, Nico!” Will scolded. “Pick something else.” 

“No.” Nico told him sternly. “Deal or no deal? I’ll kick your ass anyway.” 

Will sighed. “Fine.”

Nico smiled and if Will wasn’t well acquainted with him, he would have been intimidated. 

Will had gotten to know the son of Hades a lot in the last year. Surprisingly, Nico talked a lot when it was about something he liked or had a heavy opinion on. He didn’t talk a lot about his past, but Will already knew the basics from the gossiping of his fellow campers. At thirteen, Nico di Angelo was a mystery to him. Just someone who had walked out of camp just as fast as he walked in. 

Will wondered how his younger self would react knowing that someone who was once just a silhouette was now his older-self’s best friend. 

They were introduced to each other when Nico first arrived at camp. Will had arrived only a month before him. They were both around ten and hyperactive young children. The boy had even introduced him to this game and forced Will to play with him. Will never minded- he was just happy to have someone his age to be with. Nico had even hugged him when he found Will crying on the steps of the Apollo cabin over missing his mother. He remembers being intrigued with Nico’s accent too, an accent that was now barely present but still recognizable. They would always hang out on the green, that is, until Nico became distant. Will was so young he barely remembered what happened now but Nico was always hanging off of Percy Jackson’s arm and then one day, he was gone. He’d heard rumors about Nico being a child of Hades. His older brothers told him to steer clear of him, that he wasn’t worth the trouble. Will of course, didn’t listen to them. 

Will tried to talk to Nico everytime he popped up at camp. The other boy was always awkward and tried to push Will away to which Will didn’t understand why. All he wanted was to be Nico’s friend. They did talk after the Battle of Manhattan. Nico caught Will sobbing in one of the hotel rooms they had barged into. They hadn’t said much to each other, but Nico sat next to him as he cried so much he could barely breathe. 

Soon enough, Nico had to leave again. Until the second war, they hadn’t talked since then. Will didn’t hold it against his friend. He’ll never truly understand what Nico has gone through, but he can support him in every way possible. 

Will listened to his team chattering trying to put together somewhat of a game plan. He hadn’t realized he zoned out until Lou Ellen punched him in the arm. 

He and Lou Ellen had been friends almost instantly when she arrived at camp. She’d accidentally changed Will’s hair to pink when a spell went wrong. It was like for a week until they’d found an antidote. They’ve been friends ever since. She never lets him live it down as if it wasn’t her fault to begin with. 

“Ow!” Will yelped, rubbing his bicep. “What?” 

Lou Ellen paid him little mind, just rolled her eyes. “I barely hit you.” 

“Then how did it hurt so much.” 

“You’re such a baby. We’re on offense.” 

Being the head medic, Will was always swamped after Games of Capture the Flag. The injured would be under Chiron’s care and Will always ran right to the infirmary afterward. 

Will smiled. He was starting to get excited to play after all. As Chiron blew the whistle, he and Lou Ellen took off. 

The bow and quiver strapped to his back and Lou Ellen’s magic that he didn’t understand should’ve been enough. Unfortunately, the Hephaestus cabin was allied for the other team and there were traps everywhere. 

“Harley is going to kill someone with these one day.” Will mutters as they started slowing down. They were approaching the other side. 

Lou Ellen grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a tree. “Paolo and Nico are guarding the flag.” 

Will gave her a look. “How did you know that.” 

“I heard Malcom say it to Katie.” 

“How did you hear that from-” 

“Shut up.” She whispered, Will complied. “I say we make a run for it.” 

Before Will could say anything, she took off again. He cursed and sprinted after her. 

Dodging the traps was easy enough as they got closer. Nico stood as though he was bored and Paolo was babbling to him in Portugueese. It would have been a humorous sight if they hadn’t been spotted by the son of Hades. 

“Oh, hey Will.” Nico greeted casually. “Lou Ellen.” 

“Nico, Paolo.” 

Paolo pointed a finger at her and shouted, none of them understanding what he was saying. 

Will nodded at the son of Hebe. “Glad to see your limbs still attached, Paolo.” 

Paolo just muttered and pulled his dagger out, to which Will quickly set an arrow through the bow. They exploded on contact with whatever was hit. Not enough to hurt, just to distract. 

They didn’t really have a plan here. Lou Ellen’s hands were glowing purple like they did when she was brewing something. Will watched carefully so he isn’t caught in the crossfire. Nico still hasn’t drawn his sword. He was leaning against the boulder even as Will and Lou Ellen crept forward. 

Lou Ellen reached over to whisper in his ear. “Dibs on Paolo.” 

Will’s eyes widened. “No, I want Paolo.” 

She smirked evilly. “Too late.” 

Within a second, purple bounds were around Paolo’s arms and legs and he thrashed on the ground, grunting. Will imagines he’s cursing them out right now but he can’t be too sure. 

Nico smiled at them with delight. Before Lou Ellen could even react, skeletons erupted from the ground one by one to fight her. 

Everything happened so fast and he wasn’t paying attention, Nico had knocked his bow right out of his hand. 

“Dick.” Will spat out in response. He unsheathed the dagger on his belt that he only used in these instances for Capture the Flag. “I’ll get you back for that.” 

Nico raised his eyebrows and lunged. 

Will isn’t the most inept at sword fighting. Sure, he passed the classes but that didn’t mean he was great. Even decent was pushing it. Nico had gotten a few scratched in, even made the son of Apollo bleed a bit. 

So Will wasn’t exactly shocked when Nico had a sword pressed into his neck, smirking with pride. Nico pressed him against the boulder, holding him by the back of the neck, right up in Will’s face as best he could with their height difference. 

Will noticed that he could reach the flag from where Nico pinned him. It felt glorious. 

“Looks like you got me.” Will said cheerfully. 

“Looks like your morning runs will be solo for awhile.” 

It was Will’s turn to smirk. “I wouldn’t be so sure.” 

Before his friend could respond, Will pushed Nico backward hoping he didn’t get his throat slit by the sword and quickly reached up to grab the flag. 

He darted down the field, Nico in tow. 

When the conch blew, Will laughed with joy and turned around quickly. 

What he did not expect was to immediately collide with the son of Hades who has been running after him. They both fell to the ground in an instant, grunting and cursing with pain. 

Will was about to berate Nico but froze at their position. During the fall, Nico somehow hit the ground with Will on top of him. Their noses were touching and both boys began to blush a deep red. Will’s words caught in his throat at their proximity. They barely ever hugged, and now Will was practically laying on top of him. It felt like time had slowed down. 

The moment was gone when Nico started squirming underneath him. The other campers were watching with interest, Will suddenly aware of their prodding gazes. 

“You’re crushing me, Solace.” 

Willed smiled brightly as he rolled onto the grass next to Nico. They both were catching their breath as he reminded his friend, “See you in the infirmary.” 

Nico groaned miserably. “Oh my fucking gods.” 

“Please don’t fuck the gods.” 

Nico blushed again. “Shut up you dork.” 

The infirmary was oddly quiet. They camped out for about an hour before Will deemed it was safe to leave. It was quiet between them, but not awkward. It’s one of the things he loves about being friends with Nico- they could enjoy each other’s company without filling the empty spaces with words. Their arms brushed together until they parted to their respective cabins, each saying a quick goodbye to the other. 

Overall, Will is glad they played. That night in his cabin he lays awake thinking about Nico’s nose brushing against his, his hand on Will's shoulder, how he had pushed Will against the boulder so forcefully. Will’s pretty sure he was blushing head to toe at that point. He couldn’t get Nico out of his head. This had been recurring since Nico showed up on that hill. Will had grabbed Nico’s cold hands in his own and told him that he’d just delivered Hedge’s baby. Nico wasn’t too pleased with him. They bickered so much that the Romans had gained on them. 

  
  


Will rolled over and pressed his face into his pillow and drifted off just to dream about the son of Hades again. 


End file.
